The latest estimate from Fidelity Investments finds that a 65-year-old couple retiring this year and Medicare-eligible will pay $240,000 for health care in retirement.

And get this: That number likely is underestimating the cost for many people, given that it doesn’t include dental care and long-term care.

Read our story for strategies on how to deal with health-care costs in retirement. Plus, find out what college grads should know about avoiding 10 big money mistakes their parents made.

And don’t miss our story on how discrimination against homeowners—the one type of property owner generally not allowed to reduce their loan balance to the property’s current value—may be hindering an economic recovery.

Your retirement health-care tab will run $240,000

Retirement health-care costs are enough to cause a severe anxiety attack. Even with Medicare benefits, a 65-year-old couple retiring in 2012 will spend at least $240,000 in retirement, according to the latest estimate from Fidelity Investments. Here’s how to deal. Your retirement health-care tab will run $240,000.

Unfairness to homeowners blocks recovery

ECONOMY & POLITICS

How banks aided Lugar opponent

Dick Lugar got on the wrong side of banks, and paid for it. Last year, Lugar—who suffered a stinging defeat in Tuesday night’s primary at the hands of state Treasurer Richard Mourdock—and other Republicans voted against the banking industry on an amendment that would have blocked caps on debit card swipe fees. How banks aided Lugar opponent.

Fed reform plans percolate on Capitol Hill

Key members of Congress presented distinctly different measures Tuesday to fundamentally reform the Federal Reserve, a sign that the central bank remains very much under the microscope in the wake of the extraordinary policy steps it took during and after the financial crisis. Fed reform plans percolate on Capitol Hill.

Political focus on Bank of Japan is necessary evil

Political meddling in monetary policy could be a bitter pill for the Bank of Japan to swallow, but it would be a necessary evil to pull the country out of its long economic stupor, say scholars and economists. Political focus on Bank of Japan is necessary evil.

INVESTING

Major correction unlikely

Contrarians believe that a correction in excess of 10% is unlikely anytime soon. That’s because there is little evidence of the stubbornly held bullishness that is the typical hallmark of major tops. Major correction unlikely.

Odd bedfellows behind the euro’s resilience

Yahoo CEO didn’t have to get ‘Minkowed’

Yahoo Inc. Chief Executive Scott Thompson should have read Al Lewis’s 2009 column, which explained how lies on resumes just open the door to more investigations. Yahoo CEO didn’t have to get ‘Minkowed.’

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